Does Listening to Classical Music Make You Smarter?
As an infant, your parents may have had you Liszt-en to classical music at some point in hopes of increasing your intellect. It may have ranged from calm pieces such as Gymnopedie by Erik Satie or something livelier such as The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi. However, you may be wondering why it didn’t make you smarter.
Your parents most likely fell for the phenomenon called "The Mozart Effect." It states that listening to classical music, especially those composed by Mozart, would increase an individual’s IQ. Its origins can be traced back to an experiment by psychologist Francis Rauscher in 1993. Rauscher tested two Bach-es of college students on spatial reasoning, specifically on their ability to visualize 3D shapes. On average, the group that listened to classical music beforehand performed better than the group that didn’t by a whole eight to nine points. Subsequently, this theory was propagated as it was exaggerated in the media.
After "The Mozart Effect" was popularized, further research has uncovered some limitations. Apparently, its effects are only 15 minutes and even those are minimal, as found in another study conducted by Jakob Pietschnig. Different people would also have unique reactions to music, so this isn’t a consistent and specific way that everybody could become smarter. Furthermore, the nature and factors that influence intelligence are a lot more intricate than simply listening to music, such as environment, experiences, education, and more.
This misconception surrounding “The Mozart Effect” was easily believed to be that Mozart, a music prodigy, and his compositions fit the image of intelligence. Classical music in general also had a perception of being complex and sophisticated. Aside from that, simply playing or listening to classical music seemed like an effortless way to boost intelligence without any negative risks to the listeners.
Another intriguing finding is that other genres of music, particularly those an individual enjoys, may also produce these same short-lasting effects. These results suggest that short-lived cognitive abilities and spatial reasoning improvements may be caused by enjoyment and happiness instead of musical composition. This improvement in mood may also lead to enhanced concentration and increased engagement, temporarily boosting cognitive performance.
Overall, the biggest evidence that the Mozart Effect isn’t real is academic performance. Aside from that, there is little evidence to support this phenomenon, especially in the long run. However, potential short-term effects of listening to music exist, such as increased concentration and an improved mood. Although it doesn’t have any long-term effects, listening to classical music does imply that you have a sophisticated musical taste.
Sources:
https://parentingscience.com/mozart-effect/
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2010-09456-004
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20130107-can-mozart-boost-brainpower
